Handled carton



Nov. 17, 1953 J. A. MCELWEE HANDLED CARTON Filed April 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet y w E m a 4 M T 2 m l 5 u 7. if :v 6 L m J l l I l I I i ll INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 17, 1953 J. A. MCELWEE HANDLED CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1951 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1953 HANDLED CARTON Joseph A. McElwee, Rittman, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Boxboard Company, Rittman, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application April 11, 1951, Serial No. 220,417

2 Claims.

This invention relates to handled paperboard cartons, and it has special reference to a carton primarily adapted for the packaging of bottled goods such as beer and other beverages in easily transportable multiples, the specially formed, integral handle member serving as a ready means whereby the completed package may be carried.

The carton of the invention has, in addition, structural characteristics whereby it is well adapted to the automatic packaging of groups or multiples of bottled goods and the like, particularly as disclosed in the copending application of Robert J. Hickin for patent for Packaging Method and Means, filed January 15, 1951, Serial No. 206,099, now Patent No. 2,616,289.

The primary object of the invention is to provide in a carton blank of a structure which is, in effect, capable of automatic set-up to carton form by line packaging machinery, parts which may be folded together to provide a relatively rigid, g

integral carrying handle preferably substantially coextensive with one top edge of the finished carton, thus leaving the area of the carton top free of obstruction so that a reclosable opening may be formed therein for inspection, removal and replacement of the contents.

Another object is to provide a carton which lends itself readily to the packaging and by-carton transportation of predetermined multiples of bottled goods, such as beer, and which, after opening and removal of the contents may serve as a carrier for the return of the empty bottles.

The invention comprises, broadly, a carton having a bottom wall, side walls extending from said bottom wall and. having laterally extending flaps preferably joined to the bottom wall by gussetfolding members and adapted to have their free edges joined in a seam to provide the end walls, and fiaps extending from the free edges of the side wall members and relatively foldable and interfoldable to provide a top wall and an oifstanding handle member, the handle member preferably being located at one side wall edge of the formed top wall, and the top wall preferably being provided with frangible opening-forming means in the nature of a reclosable panel or fiap, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Fig. lis a plan view of the inner face of the paperboard blank for forming the carton of the invention,

Fig. 21s a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the end wall forming flaps and gusset-folding members folded fiat against adjacent parts of the blank, the glue areas also being indicated,

Fig. 3 shows, in perspective, a step in the progressive erection of the blank to set-up carton form,

Fig. 4 is a top view of the erected carton blank before the closing and assembling of the top wall and handleforming members,

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are top views progressively illustrating the assembling and folding of the top wall and handle forming members,

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7, but showing the access panel or fiap partially torn from the top walllialong its prepared lines of rupture and folded bac Figs. 9, l0 and 11 are enlarged fragmentary side elevations showing the top wall and handle forming members in arrangement corresponding to the showing of Figs. 5, 6 and '7, respectively,

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view substantially medially of the side wall members, top and handle member as shown in Figs. 7 and 11,

Figs. 13 and 14 are enlarged fragmentary perspective views, taken from opposite sides of the carton, showing, in greater detail, the formation of the top wall and handle member,

Fig. 15 is a side view of the finished filled carton, the contained bottles and cellular separator strip means being shown in broken lines, and

Fig. 16 is an end view of the package shown in Fig. 15.

Having reference particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the blank from which the carton of the invention is formed comprises an integral sheet of appropriate paperboard material provided with suitable folding scores and cuts defining a bottom wall member I, side wall members 2 and 3 and end wall forming members 4, 4' and 5, 5 formed as lateral extensions of flaps on the side wall members 2 and 3, respectively, and joined to the bottom member I and to each other by gusset-folding members 6, 6'. One of the side wall members (2) is provided at its freeouter edge with a, top forming flap member I having lines of cut-scores or perforations 8, 8, 8 joining a fold,- ing score 9 defining the top edge of the side wall member 2 and providing a rupturable panel or fiap I0 to form an access opening to the interior of the finished carton, as will be explained hereinafter, and from the outer edge of this top forming flap I, defined by a folding score ll, extends a handle-forming member l2 provided with appropriate finger openings l3.

From the outer free edge of the other side wall member 3, defined by a folding score l4, extends a pair of handle-forming members l5, l6, complemental to each other and to the previously described handle-forming member [2, and relatively foldable upon an intermediate substantially medial folding score l1. These handle-forming flaps I5 and l6are provided, respectively, with finger openings I8, l9 complemental to those, [3, of the first named handle-forming flap l2, and the cuts which form the finger openings l9 of the outermost flap l6 extend on three sides only of the openings to provide protection and bearing tabs foldable upon score'linesllas will later be described.

The free outer edges of the end wall members 4, 4' and 5, 5' are provided with closure fiapslz, 22' and 23, 23, respectively, separated from laterally spaced adjacent portions of the blank :by appropriate cuts and are foldable relatively to the end wall members upon extensions ..of the folding scores :9 and I4, respectively.

Insetting.uplth elblank to carton.form, .the end wall members 4,4 and .5, 5 with their gussetfolding members.8, .6"and closure .fiaps 2:2, 22' and 23, 23, a're fold ed inwardly and 'fiat against theaside and bottom wall members -2, 3 and l, upon the longitudinal f ol'ding scores.24, v24; 25, 25 and 26, 26', as shownlinflig. 2. Then the side wall membersare.bentupwardly, as shown in Fig.3,JuponthePbott m. folding scores .21, 27, and thismanipulation.willcause the gusset-folding.members 6, 6"to'.fo1dupon their diagonal folding :scores 28,128 and parallel folding scores 29, rgllfthu's raising the-end wall members 4, 4 and 5, 5' to erected, overlapping relation 30,-Fig. .4, wherethe .arersecured atappropriate areas a, Figsj-2and3jtosquare upth'e. carton body. Next, .the,clsu1ie..fiaps 22, .22 and 23,23 are folded inwardly .upon their .folding score extensions -9 and ;l4,IFigs.- 51and .9, andthen the top-forming fia pimei nbr :llis :folde'dl down upon them upon its rowing. score. 9 withiits. handle-forming memberl [folded upwardly upon its folding score H to .lie .in face-.to-face contact with the handle forminglniember l5 of ,theside wall member .3, asLsliown-in Figs. 6 and vl0, and thereafter the handle-forming lmember I16, which .now extends upwardly above those 12,15 thus assembled is folded downwardly u on the intermediate folding score L1 into .fa'ce-to-face contact with the outer .iaceoflthehandle member 12 of the topformingfiap 1, Figs. 7 'andll to 14, and its hearing tabs 20 'may then, .or later when .thelc'arton is handlediby. afpurchaserof the package, be bent outwardly upon their .score lines .2! to pass through .theffinger bp'en'ings l3 and 18 .of .the other. handle members. I .It will be understoodthat, as vtheassembly of the top-closing and handle-forming parts fprogr esses,fthese parts will besuccessiv'ely secured in set-up conditionupon.appropriateglue areas I), cjand .d, .Figs. .2". and .3.

'Ihe' liandle member .thusformed being .of three ply construction 1 and .fconnectd with two ,walls, side. and topfoi th'e carton, is not only relatively rigid, and of itselffracture' resistant, but tends to resist the strain f handling of .the .carton by distribution of "such strain overthe' two adjacent walls;thus guarding against its tearing away from the 'cart on. Moreover, by the arrangement of the'handle member at an edgeof the cartonthe area of the top wall is left free for the;provision ofanaccess openingas providedby the rupturablepanel'pf flap H].

Obviously, the commodity to be packaged, say bottled goods or the like e, with a cellular arrangement of partition strips f, Figs. 15 and 16, may be deposited in the carton after it has been set up to the condition shown in Fig. 4, and the top closure and handle-forming members thereafter assembled, as described, or where the carton is '-used a line packaging operation, as dis- "closed, forexani'ple, in thelcopen'ciing application of Robert J. Hickin hereinbefore referred to, it may be foldingly assembled, preferably from the blank form shown in Fig. 2, around and enclosing predetermined groups or multiples of bottles -or theJIike andseparator strip assemblies appropriatelyassociatd with it in the packaging operation.

As hereinbeforeindicated, access to the contents of the package provided by the carton, Figs. I5 and 16, may be had by tearing away the rupturable panel or flap I0 upon the cut-scores or perforations ..8, .Fig. 8, -.so that this .fiap will hinge upon the-foldingscore Stat the uppertedge ofithe'side-wall -2, and :if the carton is to .-be.reused after'the contents-.have'beenremoved, asior return .of'the empty heer'bottles-or the'like,:the flap 10 maybe usedras aclosure .to .again provide apresentable package.

Various changes and modifications 1 are considered to be within the principle'of 'theinvention and the scope ofthe fdllowing claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a handled carton, a bo'dy comprising-a bottom wallmemb'er, a top'wall member, a'n'd two side well members, each 0f said side wall members carrying at each-of -itsside edges'a part of an end w'all membensaid end wallparts being joined in pairs to ea'c'h other andt'othe bottom wall memberbyfa gussetfolding' member, and each pair of same-beingedge joined toform a complete end wall, said-top wallmember being integral with and an extension of one of. said side wall members and provided with a. handleextension, and'the other side wall'merhberbeingprovided with a handle extension, one of said extensions being substantially double .theiarea of the .other said extension, said handle extensions ofistanding from the junction of said top' wall member and said .side wallmember'and being secured together with the extension of .double area medially "folded 'andariariged in face-toface contact with bothlfaces .of .the .otherextension to ,form the ,carton. handle .in multiply warrangement andltoifixitheitopwall'member incartonclosing condition.

.2. A blank for a Ihandled carton,. comprising a. sheet of paperboard material appropriately --,cut and scored-to definea bottomamemberga 'pair 20f snmlar;side:wallimembers,:onetbfathichzisktt:an .end of said-blank, -;end wall members connected with i Said sside awall imembers, 5 said side land en'd wallzmemb'ers fbeing" connected with said bottoin member, a =t0p closu1'e; meinber' extending frdm the" other or: said.-side wall 'meinbers andarrangd at the other en'd of theblank andprovided at its free edgefwith 1 ahan'dle forining extension, "and ahandle-forming' extension provided on'the free edge of the first-namedside wall'iriembergone of said extensions being of substantially double the area of the other extension "and adapted'for cooperation with thesaidothr extensidnby faceto-face foldingthereover when'the top closure member isin carton closing condition, thereby to locate the assembled handlemember at'the'junc- 5 tion of said side wall member and top closure Number member. 2,222,211 JOSEPH A. McELWEE. 2,293,342 2,360,415 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Number 362,583 Jordan May 10, 1887 242,758 1,814,816 Appelbaum July 14, 1931 403,086 2,074,477 Kondolf Mar. 23, 1937 586,070 2,191,723 Mulnix Feb. 27, 1940 Name Date Arneson Nov. 19, 1940 Inman Aug. 18, 1942 Gilbert Oct. 17, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. 19, 1925 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1933 Great Britain Mar. 6, 1947 

